Communications Unit (Dispatch)

911 Communications Center

The 911 Communications Center is considered the backbone of Department operations and works alongside the Patrol Division maintaining a 24 hours a day, 7-days a week coverage. Communications officers assigned to this section are the first step in generating an emergency response or call for service. This section dispatches Police, Fire, and Emergency Medical Service units for the Cities of Schertz and Cibolo as well as other City services such as Schertz Animal Control and Public Works when an immediate response is required. Dispatchers assigned to this section are also instrumental in coordinating combined response efforts between other local and State law enforcement agencies.

When to Call 911

An emergency is any situation that requires immediate assistance from the police, fire department, or an ambulance.

For Instance:

A fire

A crime, especially if in progress

A car accident with or without injuries

A medical emergency

Always if you are not sure whether the situation is a true emergency call 911 and let the Emergency operator assist you to determine if emergency help is needed. It is better to error on the side of caution then to not ask for help at all. The non-emergency line for help is 210-619-1200.

When you call 911, or a non-emergency line be prepared to answer questions, which may include:

The location of the emergency, If you do not know the street address, look for landmarks or business names to help us get you help.

The phone number you are calling from.

The nature of the emergency is needed.

Details about the emergency: Such as a physical description(s) of a person(s) who may have committed a crime or is acting suspicious, descriptions of vehicles involved in crimes, suspicious activity or vehicle accidents. As well as a direction of travel if the person or vehicle is leaving the area. For Fires, questions that may be asked are what is on fire, what caused the fire, are there people trapped and for medical emergencies any description of injuries or symptoms being experienced by the person needing help.

Never put yourself in harms way to get further information about a dangerous situation.

Be prepared to follow any instructions the call taker gives you. Our center is certified to give pre-arrival, step by step instructions for fire and medical emergencies such as choking, CPR and other first aid situations.

Calling 911 By Mistake

If you dial 911 by mistake, or if a child dials 911 when no emergency exists, do not hang up, stay on the line and speak with the operator and explain what happened. Hanging up leads the emergency operators to think that an emergency may exist and will send responders to your location. Taking them away from other emergency calls.

Civilian Support Staff

The Schertz Police Department also employs other civilians to assist in the day to day operations of the Department. These employees are vital in ensuring the Department can function and maintain an organized and efficient method of operation. Areas such as office administration and information technology are just a few areas in which our support staff provides professional and specialized assistance.